


Messr Prongs and His King

by Ada_Rose



Series: Harry Potter [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Androgynous!Regulus Black, BAMF Marauders, BAMF Regulus Black, Bisexual James Potter, Boys In Love, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossdressing, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gambling, Gang Violence, Gay Regulus Black, How Do I Tag, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, James Potter is a Good Friend, M/M, Mafia AU, Mild Gore, More tags to be added, Multi, Organized Crime, Orion Black's A+ Parenting, Slug Club, Undercover Missions, Walburga Black's A+ Parenting, hitman!James, mob boss/assassin!Regulus, no betas we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:13:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24166408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ada_Rose/pseuds/Ada_Rose
Summary: James was a hitman, the best of the best. Under his code name "Prongs" he has made a reputation of himself for never missing a target. Until one night during a job when a beautiful woman in a red dress kills his target before he does.
Relationships: Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Regulus Black & Narcissa Black Malfoy, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Regulus Black/James Potter, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: Harry Potter [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938784
Comments: 20
Kudos: 159





	1. Who Let The Hitman In?

“Name?”

“Anthony Dolohov”, James took out his invitation and handed it to the man guarding the entrance.

The man looked at it and quickly scanned his eyes over it, then nodded in satisfaction and gave it back.

“Enjoy your evening”.

James thanked him and entered the ballroom, slightly amused at how easy that was. Either Malfoy was getting lazy or these men just didn’t really give a crap about their employer. 

James looked around, resisting the urge to loosen his tie. The ballroom was full of London’s richest families, all who had made their fortunes due to less than legal means. Not that he was one to judge, he couldn’t exactly call himself an honest man of the law. Hell, he just got in here due to a fake identity and a forged invitation. James silently thanked Peter for a job well done and moved away from the entrance so that he wouldn’t block any of the other guests coming in. 

He made his way over to one of the tables and tried to ignore the stares. People usually tend to look at any newcomers but he can’t help but feel anxious. Like they can all see right through him and are just waiting for the perfect moment to strike him down the moment he shows any sign of weakness. Christ, was that how Sirius felt every time he was forced to attend one of these events? James suddenly felt a new wave of sympathy for his friend, and relieved that he wasn’t currently here. Not to mention that if Malfoy was the one hosting, the Blacks would certainly be here and they’d recognize their disowned son immediately. James’s own disguise wasn’t that impressive either, he just slicked back the monster that is his hair and put on some contacts that made his eyes look more green than hazel. But, as Remus put it, no one here has met him in person before so he should be able to pull this off. 

‘As long as I don’t screw it up’, James thought. He already was by sitting alone. He couldn’t draw attention to himself and a brooding stranger in the corner would do the opposite, and his good looks didn't help. So he’s aware he’s attractive, sue him. 

‘Focus’, James scolded himself and turned his attention to his surroundings. 

Immediately he spotted Sirius’s parents, Orion and Walburga Black, talking to another couple, Cygnus and Drusilla if he had to guess. While they were married, with just a look he could tell that there was no real love between them. James kept looking and spotted the host himself, Lucius Malfoy, talking (read: bragging) to a few of his guests. That’s when he realized it; the gorgeous venue, the expensive looking food and wine, the lack of effort in the security. Malfoy wasn’t lazy, he was cocky.

James considered going up to him now but soon decided against it. It was too early. If Malfoy disappeared now the guests would notice and the police would be on his tail immediately. Better to wait until the end when everyone was tired and slightly less than sober, even if he’s gonna have to deal with a bunch of smug rich aristocrats who think they’re better than everyone else because they were born lucky. In reality they were all just a bunch of grown up spoiled brats. And he would know, he was a spoiled brat. 

James stood up and grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter, then headed over to none other than Narcissa Malfoy, the hostess of this fine party. Mrs. Malfoy was standing on the other side of the ballroom, glass of wine in hand, chatting with another woman. It seemed they knew each other quite well, he noted and did a double take. She was  _ gorgeous _ . Not Narcissa, he would never fall for a married woman, and she was Sirius’s cousin so that makes it a big no-no. He meant the woman next to her. She was tall, taller than Narcissa but shorter than James, with long wavy hair and nut brown eyes and wearing a red dress with black heels. Honestly he couldn’t help but stare for a few seconds. 

James violently shook his head and scolded himself again. He had a job to do and he couldn’t afford to be distracted, no matter how beautiful those distractions are. Praying they hadn't noticed the staring, he walked up to the two women.

“Excuse me? You’re Narcissa Malfoy, correct?”, he asked politely, making himself sound a bit more timid. 

Narcissa gave a tight smile and James gave a silent apology for interrupting. 

“I am. And you are?”

“Anthony Dolohov. I just wanted to thank our hostess in person for running such a lovely party. And I must add that you look fabulous tonight”, Might as well make her feel good. After all, by the end of the night she’ll be a widow.

“Thank you, Lucius worked very hard to plan this night. Especially now, with Abraxas gone…”, she trailed off with a sad look on her face. 

It took everything James had in him to not roll his eyes. The Malfoys hosted this party every year since Abraxas Malfoy- Lucius’ father- came up with the idea. He claimed it was to “forge new alliances” and “rekindle old friendships” when really it was a way for him to show off. Old man Malfoy bit it five years ago, making his son completely in charge of the company and the human trafficking and drug ring they ran. The problem was that Lucius was a narcissistic asshole. At least Abraxas was a half decent person if you ignored the human trafficking part, at least that’s what Sirius told him. 

“Am I being ignored now? I thought that staring was a sign that you liked what you saw. I guess not”, the woman in the red dress said. 

Crap. She noticed the staring. Well, time to improvise. 

“Forgive me, miss”, James replied with a charming smile, “It’s just, I don’t believe in God or Heaven yet when I saw you I was sure I was seeing an angel.”

She laughed. Seeing his frown she quickly reassured him, “I’m not laughing at you, although that was pathetic. It’s just, I’m the farthest thing from an angel, darling”

“Well can I at least know the name of this not-angel?”

She held out her hand, “Diana Delacour. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dolohov”.

James took Diana’s hand and on a whim, brought it to his lips and kissed it, “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Delacour.” 

Music started to play, the perfect tune for a waltz. James realized that Narcissa had left the two of them and was approaching the center to dance with her husband. Other couples were preparing for a dance as well and James realized that he’s gonna have to dance too. He restrained a groan then downed his champagne flute in one go, placing it on the closest table. 

“May I have this dance?”, he asked Diana. 

“You shall”, Diana agreed with a smile on her lips and James felt butterflies. 

He led her to the center just as the music started to pick up. Struggling to remember what Sirius taught him about this kind of stuff, he put his arm around her waist while she placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“You haven’t done this a lot have you?”, Diana asked as they joined hands.

“Is it that obvious?”, James said in defeat, trying very hard to not step on her feet. 

“Very. fortunately, I am good enough for both of us so just follow my lead”

James wanted to point out that technically he was leading, but she looked like she knew what she was doing so he kept quiet and the two of them spun around the ballroom with the other couples. Every now and then Diana would whisper “spin” or “lift” and James would do just that, keeping in rhythm with everyone else. 

“I haven’t seen you around here before”, Diana said low enough so that only he heard, “What changed?”

“Was that your way of asking me if I came here often?”, James asked, making her laugh. It was a pretty laugh and it made him smile. “To answer your question, I had just inherited my family's company and Mr. Malfoy was interested in investing. He invited me here as a show of good faith”, That was a complete lie and he just made it up on the spot, but he wasn’t playing the long game. It should hold long enough to carry out what he came here to do. 

Diana gave him a look of pity and James knew what she was thinking. She thought he was about to be one of those honest men who are conned out of their money because the rest of the world wasn’t as honest as they were.

The two of them turned, barely avoiding another dancing couple.

“And what about you? What brought you here tonight, Miss Delacour?”

“I went to school with Narcissa when we were younger. We’ve been out of touch for a few years but she wanted to change that, so here I am.”, Diana paused, “The song’s almost over. Dip”

“Shit”, James muttered as she spun into his arms. He dipped her and somehow managed to get her back up without letting go. When the song ended he let out of a sigh of relief. 

“Not fond of dancing?”, Diana teased, “Or was I that bad?”

“It wasn’t you. In fact, dancing with you actually made that slightly enjoyable”, James wanted to run his hand through his hair so badly, “But I’d prefer to avoid the dancefloor for the rest of the evening.”

He started to head to the tables but paused when she took his arm.

“Mind if I joined you?”

Yes, he did mind. He was here to get a job done, not to flirt. She was a distraction, a very beautiful one, but still a distraction and he couldn’t afford any. 

“Not at all”

Fuck. 

Most of the other guests have also left the dancefloor, heading to the tables. James, wanting to avoid them, led Diana to one of the walls and leaned against it.

“Y’know, if Mr. Malfoy refuses to invest, there’s quite a few options here”, Diana suggested, glancing at the tables.

“I mean I would, it's just…”, he tried to come up with a reason.

“They’re all self righteous assholes?”

“Yes exactly!”, he looked at her, “That was surprisingly blunt of you”

“Well it’s not like it’s a secret. Do you honestly believe that everyone is here because they  _ like each other? _ ”

“So why are they here then?”

“Politics”, Diana said casually as if it was that simple. Maybe it was. “Malfoy is egotistical, but he’s powerful, and wealthy too. You want to get on his good side and refusing an invite won’t do that, it’ll only make him feel insulted”

James nodded, then fully processed what she told him, “You seem to know a lot for an old school friend”

Diana raised an eyebrow, “And you seem to know too little for a possible client”, she shot back.

“Touche”, he didn’t push further, and thankfully neither did she. He started to realize there was something off about her. The way she looked at the Malfoys, at him, it was as if the ballroom was one big chessboard and they were the pieces. Useful, but disposable. 

Before James could dwell on that longer, Mr. Malfoy approached them. 

“Good evening”, he greeted.

“Anthony Dolohov, correct?”, Lucius asked.

“That’s me”

“Are you enjoying the party?”

“Quite”, Just then James noticed that Diana had disappeared, leaving him alone. Damn it. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

“You’re welcome, but Mr. Dolohov something had come to my attention that has concerned me”, Lucius said, “You see right now my wife told me that she’s been approached by a man called Anthony Dolohov and asked who he was”, he narrowed his eyes, “Problem is that I have never met a man who went by that name and I certainly would never send a stranger an invite”

Oh this was bad. This was very, very bad. His cover is gonna be blown any second now and then he’s dead. He’s gonna die and then Remus is gonna kill him again for being so stupid. The only chance he had was if he got out of here right now.

“But I have an invitation”, James reigned in his panic, “Maybe you misspelled the address or the mail company mixed it up. If that’s the case then I am very sorry and I’ll leave right now”

“I don’t think so”, Lucius was sneering now, “I’ve accounted for all of my guests, but you’re also here. You better tell me who you really are right now before I call for security”

“Mr. Malfoy!”, Diana chose that moment to return, miracle that she was, “Good to see you”

“Not right now, Diana”, Lucius replied, not taking his eyes off James, “I’m dealing with an intruder here”

“You mean Anthony?”, she glanced at James and winked, “He’s my plus one, I thought I told you”

Mr. Malfoy’s mouth gaped, “You’re...plus one?”

“Yes. Narcissa said I could bring a friend so I brought him. He’s not causing trouble, is he?”, she glared playfully at him, like this was something she was used to. It actually reminded James of Remus. 

‘Play along’, she was silently telling him. So he went with it. 

“Of course not, Dee. I would never do such a thing”

“Sure”, she rolled her eyes. 

Lucius looked between the two of them in disbelief, then snapped himself out of it. 

“Right. My apologies then”

“Don’t worry, I get it.”, James said. He really did, more than they thought he did. Malfoy thought that he was from another family, coming here to kill him, which was a total lie. He wasn’t a part of the mob, he was a hitman for hire. There’s a big difference. 

Diana smiled and grabbed a glass of alcohol, handing it to Malfoy, “Here, it looks like you need this”

Malfoy took it with a quiet thank you and left, and then James couldn’t hold it in anymore. He burst out laughing and Diana joined in. 

“Did you see his face?! That was amazing”, he managed to get out between laughs. 

“It was very amusing”, Diana agreed. 

They stood there a solid minute basking in the comedic moment they were just in. Here James thought this would be the most boring hour of his life but he surprisingly found himself enjoying this posh performance. And it was all because of the woman in front of him. 

“Why did you step in like that?”, James wondered. 

She shrugged, “Why do people do anything?”

“Don’t answer a question with another question, it gets people nowhere”, He looked around a final time, making sure there was no attention drawn to him, “Anyway thanks for the save but I’m gonna get out of here before they realize I’m not actually you’re plus one”

“Suit yourself. But if it means anything, I had a nice time with you tonight.”

James smiled, “Yeah, I did too. See you around, Diana”

“Unlikely. But I do hope we meet again soon, Anthony”.

James took her hand, kissed it for the second time that night, and left the ballroom.


	2. Plan B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James meant to leave, he really did. But the perfect opportunity came so of course he’s gonna take it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than the last, but I’m already working on chapter 3. Now let’s see what James will do next.

He intended to leave. Really, he did. Leave the party, change out of the uncomfortable suit he was wearing, head to the Golden Snitch and drink out his failure with his friends. Maybe he’ll get a few free rounds from Marlene and Dorcas if he played up the pity enough. He’ll never find out because he was halfway to the exit when he heard footsteps coming his way. Instinctively, he ran and hid into the coat closet, keeping the door open just a crack to see what was going on. He dared not breathe too hard or move the slightest, which was especially hard for him since he always had to be doing  _ something _ . Stealth sucked. 

Somehow James was able to keep still as Lucius, accompanied by his wife, stepped into the hall. Mr. Malfoy was currently very pale and every time he breathed it was a long and hard fought battle. Which was a drastic change since James just saw him a few minutes ago in perfect health. 

“Are you alright, dear?”, Narcissa asked her husband, her voice full of concern, “You just started coughing and left. Have you been sick this whole time and just didn’t tell me?”

“No I haven’t. I’ve felt fine this entire night up until now”, Lucius coughed. A truly horrible sounding hack.

“Maybe you should leave early. I’ll go get your coat”, Mrs. Malfoy headed towards the closet. 

James froze. If she opened it, he’s gonna get caught, and then he’ll have to kill both of them. He hated doing that, only the target’s blood should be spilled. But he’ll do it if he has to. Afterwards he’s going to have to get the hell out of here as soon as possible. People are gonna notice that their host and hostess are missing very quickly and then they’ll go looking for them. If it was just Lucius then maybe he would’ve been able to make it look like an accident, but both of them? That’s a murder through and through. Hopefully no one will trace it back to the Marauders or else they’re gonna be in some deep shit. 

The hitman slowly moved his hand towards his inside pocket. The lazy security was unable to notice the knife he hid in it and it was time to use it, now or never. 

Narcissa’s hand was seconds away from the doorknob when Lucius stopped her. 

“It’s fine. I’m fine.”, he grabbed her hand and moved it away from the closet. James let out a silent sigh of relief. No unnecessary murder needed after all. 

“I can’t leave now, I’m the one hosting it. I’ll be alright, I just need a minute, ok?”, Mr. Malfoy continued.

Narcissa hesitated, before nodding, “I’ll wait for you”, she said and left her husband. 

Lucius watched his wife leave, then burst into another set of coughing and headed towards the men’s room. James watched him go, a plan forming in his mind. Lucius was alone and vulnerable, no one was coming to check up on him, and everyone already thought “Anthony” left. So, James waited until the Malfoys were out of sight before exiting the closet and following him. 

It was an expensive venue so he shouldn’t have been surprised that even the bathroom’s were fancy. It even smelled nice, unlike the one in the Golden Snitch (no offence to Marls and Dorky, just to their bathrooms). The hitman silently closed the door behind him and gave a quick scan of the room. Confirming that they were alone, James drew his knife.

“Mr. Malfoy”, Lucius nearly jumped, “Good to see you again”

Malfoy turned around and faced the hitman.

“I was right”, he snarled, “You came here to kill me. So who sent you?”

“Sorry, can’t tell you that”, James was buzzing with energy. The target was right here, ripe for the taking. Excitement filled his veins, it was time to silence Malfoy’s big mouth once and for all. “Part of the job is that the client remains confidential. Surely you understand?”, he spun the knife in his hands, careful to not nick his fingers. 

“Someone must’ve been too much of a coward to kill me themself and instead sent riffraff like you to do their dirty work”, Malfoy took a moment to cough again.

James narrowed his eyes, “I don’t think you’re in the right position to insult me”, he raised the knife.

Malfoy wheezed out a fit of laughter, “Look at you, acting so cocky. You hitmen think you’re better than everyone else when the reality is that you’re all just a bunch of wanna-be assassins with a big ego”

‘Look who's talking’, James wanted to reply. Instead he said, “That may be true for others, but I’m the real deal”

“Really? How so?”

“I’ll give you a hint. You see, I’m not actually Diana’s plus one. In fact, I didn’t come with anyone. I went  _ stag _ .”

The face Malfoy made when he figured out James’ little pun was priceless.

“Prongs”

James gave a mock bow, “At your service”, he stood up straight and adjusted his grip on the knife. He managed two steps before Malfoy started coughing again. Coughing up  _ blood. _

‘What the-’, the hitman watched as Lucius fell to his knees, blood dripped down his lips and stained the tiled floor. Eventually, he stopped coughing and dropped to the ground, struggling to breathe. James saw his chest move one, twice, then nothing. He ran to the limp body and felt for a pulse. He couldn’t find one. Lucius Malfoy is dead but if James didn’t kill him what did? 

He was in such a state of shock that he didn’t notice the bathroom door opening until he heard it close. 

‘I forgot to lock the door’, James realized, ‘It doesn’t matter what killed him, everyone will think I did because I’m standing over his corpse’. His grip the blade tightened, how could he have been so stupid?

“Hello Anthony.”

Wait a minute, he knew that voice. James turned around and there she was, as beautiful as ever.

“‘Diana?”


	3. The Golden Snitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James (partly) finds out who Diana is and we finally meet the rest of the Marauders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m actually pretty proud of this one.

On the corner of one of the many streets in the city of London, there was a pub. The Golden Snitch was what it was called, where both the not-so-rich and the straight-up-poor come to hang out with friends, pick up dates, or just drink their sorrows out while the bartenders listened to you rant about the latest hardship in your life. The alcohol was a high enough quality with an affordable price, and the bartenders had big smiles, were great listeners, and knew when you had enough. 

James stared at the bright letters that showcased the pub’s name with a smile. The Golden Snitch has, over time, became his second favorite place (the first being his childhood home), and the main place where he and his best mates hung out. And it doesn’t hurt when you know the owners. He went in and was immediately overflowed with the familiar smell of alcohol. Soft music came from the radio Marls bought last week, James was pretty sure it was Frank Sinatra. The fact that he could even hear Sinatra’s voice proved that it was a slow night, when the pub was busy the music was easily drowned out by the chatter of the customers. 

James tried not to fidget as he felt that familiar feeling of being stared at. He threw out the green contacts as soon as he left the venue, but he hasn’t changed out of his suit yet, making him look like a rich aristocrat who looked down on the kind of people here. He sighed and headed to the bar.

“Can I help you?”, Dorcas Meadows, co-owner of the Golden Snitch asked him.

James’ mouth split into a giant grin, “Dorky!”

Dorcas raised an eyebrow, “Do I know you, stranger?”

The hitman groaned. She does this every time. “Dorky, you know it’s me”

She hummed and started cleaning a glass, an amused glint in her eyes. 

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good”

“Now was that so hard, James?”

“I just don’t see why I have to do that every time. You can easily tell it’s me”

“Hey, you’re the one who insisted we use a secret phrase. Don’t blame me for making sure you stick to it.”, Dorcas tossed a key to the backroom to James, “Now get out of my sight. Black has been restless the moment you left, one would think he’s dating you instead of Lupin”

“Like I would ever cut between them. I don’t have a death wish, Dorky”, he gave her a mock two finger salute and headed to the back room. 

James and his mates, the Marauders they called themselves, rented out the back room from Dorcas and her wife, Marlene. It’s where they planned out their hits, along with just hanging out and getting pissed. The room wasn’t small, but it wasn’t grand either and when they first got their hands on it, it was dark, dusty, and a straight up mess. When Sirius said as much to Marlene, she just shrugged, said it was their problem now, and left. A great friend, she is. 

Since then, the room has become more homely. They cleaned it up and brought in a couch and some chairs, along with a table. The walls were repainted and the Marauders brought a few things from their flats to add to it. Now it was like a common room, with a beautiful red and gold theme. James unlocked the door, entered, and smiled upon seeing his friends again. Peter was sitting on the floor, focused on whatever he was doing on his laptop. On the couch sat Remus, his nose in a book again while his boyfriend, and James’ best friend Sirius was next to him, cleaning his sniper rifle. 

This was James’ team, his friends. The people he trusted his life with as they trusted their lives with him. Each of them had a role in their little group. Remus was the mastermind; any possible client contacted him and he decided whether a job was worth it or not. If it isn’t, he tells them to fuck off. If it is, then he spends the next few days working on a plan to pull it off without getting caught. Of course James and the others add their input, but the final say went to Remus “Moony” Lupin. Peter “Wormtail” Pettigrew makes the plan possible. He’s the one who makes the fake identities, the forged documents, can even copy almost any signature from memory. It kinda scares James how good Pete’s fakes are and he doesn’t wanna know how or where he learned it. Ignorance is bliss as they say. One time Lily said he must be the happiest person alive. 

James and Sirius, aka Prongs and Padfoot, were the actual hitmen. They took Wormtail’s forgeries and used Moony’s plans to take out their targets. Most of the time it worked and when it didn’t, let’s just say they’re good at improvisation. Prongs was short range, knives and pistols were his specialty, plus he could kick any of friends’ arses at hand-to-hand combat. Padfoot was long range, using his sniper rifle and skills his Uncle Alphard taught him before he ran away from Grimmauld. They were good on their own, but together they were unstoppable. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter. 

“Mischief managed, boys!” James called, closing the door with a great  _ thud.  _

“Jamie!”, Sirius abandoned his rifle and tackled his best mate into a hug, “You’re back! I thought I’d never lay my eyes on you again”

“I was gone for a few hours, Pads. And let go, you’re ruining the suit”

“Since when did you care?”, Sirius let go all the same.

“Since this was a rental”, James took off his suit jacket and tossed it onto the armchair, then collapsed onto it himself. 

“How was the party?”, Remus asked.

“Suffocating”, James loosened his tie and ran a hand through his slicked back hair, “How you were able to go through all that posh crap for so long Pads, I’ll never know”

Sirius shrugged, joining his boyfriend on the couch again, “Did you see my parents?”

“Yeah, they were there.”, James was surprised at how much Sirius looked like his mother, but decided not to bring that detail up. Sirius probably knew, and probably hated it. 

“What about Reg?”

“If he was, I didn’t see him.” 

Sirius was the only one among the four of them that had a sibling, and therefore was the only one who had a “complicated relationship with siblings” problem. Even James didn’t know all the details, but he knew that Sirius has a younger brother named Regulus, who he left behind five years ago and hasn't talked to since. Five years is a long time, but Regulus hasn’t made a move to contact his brother, so Sirius isn’t gonna push. 

“If he wants out, then I’ll get him out”, he said one time when James asked him about it, “But I’m pretty sure he doesn’t.” and that was that. Doesn’t stop Sirius from checking up on his brother every now and then though. 

James moved on, “You’re fake invite worked like a charm, Wormy”

“Thanks Prongs”, Peter went over to the cooler and brought out four beers, handing one to each of them, “Have you noticed my craftsmanship improving? I even got the border to be the exact shade of purple”

“I’m pretty sure the security wouldn’t have arrested James for an off-color invite”, Sirius protested.

Remus shook his head, “Better safe than sorry, love. You never know how paranoid these people could be”

“I don’t know. Malfoy’s security was pretty lax”, James opened his beer and took a big swing, revealing how different it tasted from the champagne and wine. “Cocky bastard”

“Cocky bastard who is now six feet under! I honestly think you did my dear cousin a favor”, the sniper gave a curious look, “How did you do it, anyway? Your suit is completely untouched by blood”.

James grinned, “I poisoned his wine”, his friends gave him a weird look, “What?”

“Nothing it’s just”, Peter shook his head, “That’s not your usual style, Prongs”

“Well yeah, it’s not. That’s the point. If I have a signature style, people are gonna be able to track me down. So I decided to switch things up”, it was one of the better lies he has ever told, and he had to credit it all to her. 

***

“Diana?”

“Anthony. I thought you left”

“Why are you here? What- how- I-...”, he remembered. The wine. “you did this. You poisoned him”

“So what if I did?”

“You stole my kill!”

“Stole your kill?”

“Yeah! The whole reason I came to this stupid party was to end that git’s life! And then you poisoned him before I could do a bloody thing”

“Well if I had let you killed him then I’m sure it would’ve been very ‘bloody’ indeed”

James couldn’t help it, he laughed. 

“You quite like puns, don’t you Prongs?”

“Only the good ones. Wait- what did you call me?”

“Prongs. It’s an honor to meet one of the legendary Marauders”

‘Oh we’re legends now’, James thought. He can recall many people who want him and his group of “legends” to rot in a ditch somewhere.

“You heard that part?”

“I heard all of it.”

“And you knew from the moment you saw me that I was a hitman”

“Of course”

“So why did you save me?”

“I could say it was because a hitman owing you is a valuable thing. The truth is, I find you rather attractive”

“You saved me because you think I’m cute?”

“And what if I did?”

James suddenly realized how close he is to her. When did he move? Or was it Diana that moved towards him?

“What is your real name, Miss Delacour?”

“Will you tell me yours, Mr. Dolohov?”

“Never”

“Then why should I tell you?”

“Because you find me rather attractive”

“Desire only gets you so far”

“Fair enough”, he can hear his own heart beat, can feel his blood rushing through his head. Desire seems to be taking him very far tonight, “Is there something else I can call you, then?”

“You may call me King”

“Oh so you’re the one that’s been causing the big bosses all that trouble recently”, there’s been talk of a new hitman on the playing field. ‘King’, as they have been dubbed, has been making a hobby of taking down high ranking officials in Malfoy’s ring. James guessed tonight was the grand encore, ending the show by killing Malfoy himself. No one has seen their face, no one until now. 

“I thought you were a man”

“That’s why it’s the perfect name”

“I think I’ll continue calling you Diana. I like it more”

“Only if I get to call you Anthony”

“Deal. So Diana, what happens now?”

“We go our separate ways, and we never speak of this again. I’ll even let you get credit for the kill”

“And why should I agree to that?”

“Because if you don’t, I’ll scream and they’ll find us like this, and they’ll assume that the strange man is touching the beautiful woman without her consent”

“I agree to your terms then”, Even James has a line that he’ll never cross. 

“And how can I trust that you’ll keep your word?”

“How can I trust that you will?”

Diana’s eyes sparkled with mischief. Or perhaps it was amusement. Or both.

“You’re smarter than you look, Anthony”

“I’ll take that as a complement”

There was a long pause. Then, “Kiss me”

James was not sure if he heard correctly, “Excuse me?”

“We’ll seal our deal with a kiss, unless you have a contract waiting to be signed” 

“Is this an actual way of signing contracts, or do you just want to kiss me?”

“Do you not want to kiss  _ me _ ?”

“No I do”, James muttered as he slid his arm around Diana’s waist and her hand rested on his chest, “I really, really do”

The distance between them closed. 

***

James forced himself to block out the kiss, and Diana entirely. Why does he feel drawn to someone he just met? Especially when that someone was also a hitman, who would totally kill James if given the opportunity. Huh, Lily was also fully able to kill him if she wanted to. Apparently he has a type. 

If his mates noticed his lie, they didn’t say anything. They returned to their previous tasks, filled with the satisfaction of another job completed. James took off his tie and unbuttoned the top button on his shirt, then took another sip of his drink. Tomorrow, he’ll go and return the suit, then maybe he’ll help Remus and Sirius at the shop, or visit Peter. Actually, he hasn’t seen Frank in a long time, maybe he should visit him. Rumour has it him and his highschool sweetheart Alice finally got engaged, good for them. Tomorrow was full of possibilities, but tonight James sat in the armchair, enjoying a drink with his mates, and trying to forget about the beautiful woman in the red dress. 


	4. Searching for Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus comforts a widow, James searches for answers, and Remus knows something is going on.

Regulus had just finished changing when he heard a knock on his door. He grabbed the clothes he wore as Diana and stuffed them in the trunk he kept in the bottom of his closet. It might ruin them but he was in a rush. The person at the door knocked again.

“Coming!”, he called and grabbed a hair tie. As he headed to the door he pulled his hair up into a quick ponytail and straightened his button up shirt. Regulus reached the front door of his flat and opened it. 

On the other side was a man with a big build. One of Lucius’ men if he remembered correctly, likely Goyle. With him was a crying woman with blonde hair, someone Regulus knew very well. 

“Cissa?”, he asked softly, taking in her sobbing state.

“Lucius is dead”, she replied shakily, “He went to step out but he never came back. When i went to go check on him he- he”, she broke down crying.

Probably-Goyle patted her shoulder awkwardly, “Poisoned. We think a hitman was posing as one of the guests last night and slipped something into his drink.”

Regulus made himself look sympathetic, “Oh Cissa”, he pulled her into a hug and let her cry into his shoulder.

“I am so sorry”, he lied easily, then turned his attention to probably-Goyle, “You can go”

Probably-Goyle frowned, “But- I’m her bodyguard”

“I’ll look after her. Besides, it’s not like your boss can yell at you”

The bodyguard paused, “I’ll be waiting for you outside, Mrs. Malfoy”, and left the cousins alone. 

Regulus led Narcissa to the couch and sat down next to her. He carefully let go of her and made his way to the door and locked it. Pressing an ear to the door, he hears as probably-Goyle’s footsteps get softer and softer until he couldn’t hear them anymore. 

“He’s gone”, he said.

The crying abruptly stopped, “Finally”

***

Nothing. Three hours of searching through every police report, news article, and gossip column he could find, and he’s found  _ nothing.  _ James rubbed his irritated eyes. Whoever she was, she was good. Diana has killed a dozen men, each one more important than the last, and none of them had made the news. It seems Malfoy had them all covered up himself, the deaths of his lieutenants would make him look weak. But Malfoy was a member of parliament and one of the wealthiest men in England, there’s no way his death will be covered up. Does this mean that Diana’s done now that her deeds will be exposed at last? James, selfishly, hoped not. If she’s still out there, it means there’s a chance he might see her again.

‘Besides’, he thought, ‘I took the credit. If anyone’s gonna suffer any backlash, it’s-’

James sat up straighter as the realization struck him. “Me”, he said the last part out loud.

Was that it? Did Diana, King, let him take the credit because she knew it would come back to bite him in the arse? If people think he killed Malfoy, who’s to say they won’t blame the Marauders for the other murders as well. Diana played him, making him take the consequences for her actions. She played him, and he fell right for it, because he’s a soft idiot who’s weak for pretty girls. 

James, frightened for his friends and angry at Diana (he was a bit impressed too, but mostly angry), picked up his phone and called Remus. 

***

Regulus reentered the living room with two cups of tea in his hands. He sat down next to Narcissa and gave her one.

“Thank you”, she said, looking much more beautiful now that she has wiped her tears away.

“You’re welcome”, Regulus replied and took a sip of his tea, “Allow me to offer my condolences to the newly made weeping widow”

Narcissa shook her head, “The day I truly weep for Lucius is the day Hell freezes over”

He chuckled, “You did great, by the way. I never knew you could cry on demand. Do you think you could give me some pointers?”

“I have to keep some secrets. Don’t want you to get too good at acting or else you’ll start lying to me and getting away with it”

“Never. You know me too well. Besides, I would never lie to you”, he never was able to, never wanted to. When the idea of King first appeared in his head, she was the first one he told and she’s been helping him ever since.    
  


“Think about it, Cissa”, he told her, “The ways things currently are, nothing will change. Father won’t listen, so it falls down to me to make it better”, Better than murdering innocents or purposely creating addicts and violence to profit off of the drugs and weapons. He knew no one in his family was good, not even himself, but there’s a difference between a villain and a monster. He had to put a stop to this, but he couldn’t do it as Regulus Black.

So he had to be someone else. 

Narcissa, his ever so loyal cousin, agreed to help him on one condition. 

“Fix my family first”, she demanded and how could he refuse? 

***

“If people find out the Marauders were behind Malfoy’s death they might start thinking we killed his men too”, James explained to Remus over the phone, “It creates a huge target on our back, way bigger than the one we usually have”

Remus cursed, “I didn’t think of that. Good thing you poisoned him then. It’s not your signature move, like you said, so no one should suspect you killed him”

‘Because I didn’t kill him’, James thought, not exactly sure why he’s not telling Remus. With his help they’d surely find something about Diana. And, hell, it's  _ Remus _ . If anyone can keep a secret it’s Mooney. But James promised to not tell anyone and he’s a man of his word, even to people who have used him. 

“Just make sure our names stay out of it”, was what he told Remus. Remus agreed to do so and hung up. James sighed and put his face in his hands. A few moments passed before he looked up and came face to face with his computer. Diana’s name was in the search tab and on the webpage read the words “Your search-  **_Diana Delacour_ ** \- did not match any documents”

James stared at the screen, “Who are you?”, he muttered. ‘And why can’t I forget you?”

***

“So why did you save that mysterious guest at Lucius’ party?”, Narcissa asked.

“He was attractive”, Regulus said, which was technically the truth. 

“Really? You saved him because you thought he was cute?”

Regulus nodded. He wasn’t lying, but he also wasn’t telling her that the only reason why Anthony/Prongs didn’t kill her prat-of-a-husband was because Regulus killed him first. And he never will tell her that and it confuses him as to why that is. He owes Anthony nothing, if anything he should be angry the hitman attempted to steal a kill he worked so hard for. But every time he thought to tell Cissa a stronger thought protested quite strongly. Keeping promises was not something Blacks did, but this was one promise Regulus couldn’t even think to break. How strange. 

Regulus shook his head, “There’s more pressing matters at hand. As much as I would love telling you all about the mysterious man I’m pining for, we need a plan”, he stood up and started pacing- an annoying habit he inherited from his father, “Lucius Malfoy is now dead, leaving his empire in the hands of his dear wife”, he gestured to his cousin, who gave him a knowing smile. “With the kingpin dead, this usually would be the perfect time for anyone with power to stage a coup except-”

“Except due to a stream of killings by King”, Narcissa continued, “All the main threats have been taken out. Which means I should have no problem taking over my late husband's crime ring. And of course making some changes as well”, she shook her head, “Those poor girls”.

Regulus stopped pacing and looked at her, “So our test run was a success?” 

“Most definitely”, Narcissa agreed, taking a sip of her tea, “Which means it’s time for the real deal”

“The Blacks”

She nodded, frowning, “You know you don’t have to do this”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Cissa, of course I do. My father’s reign must end and we’ve already come this far. I have to follow this through”. 

‘But I’m going to need help’, Regulus thought, ‘More than Cissa. I need to find Barty’. Time to get that ungrateful bastard to come out of hiding. 

***

Remus knew James was hiding something. Out of their entire group of friends James was the worst liar and Remus was the most observant. There was something his friend wasn’t telling him about Malfoy’s party and it all came back to how James killed him.  _ Did  _ James even kill him? Remus didn’t know and were he Sirius he would just confront James and demand answers. But he was not Sirus, he was Remus, and he wanted to respect his friend’s privacy. Did it sting a bit that James wasn’t planning to tell the Marauders, his closest friends, what happened? Definitely. But he was allowed some space and even a few secrets. They all had them.

Remus just hoped that whatever James’ secret was, it won’t blow up in his face and get them all killed. That would just suck. 


	5. One Week Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been one week since the murder of Mr. Malfoy. James goes to another, more enjoyable party, and Regulus starts looking for his friend.

_ Three Years Ago _

Regulus sighed as he waited. Twenty minutes has passed and his lawyer has still not shown up. Part of him wonders if his father lied when he said he was sending an attorney, possibly as punishment for getting caught. It seemed like something Orion Black would do, except when you consider the fact that it would look bad for the Black family if the only remaining heir got sent to prison. For muder of all things. 

Regulus was just starting to consider if prison life was better than his current one when the door opened and man walked in. The man was young, couldn’t be that much older than Regulus himself, who was currently twenty. 

“Mr. Black”, the man greeted with a crooked smile.

“Call me Regulus. Mr. Black is my father”, Regulus said and inwardly cringed. That sounded like something Sirius would say. No, his brother would’ve said something more crass. 

“Well then, Regulus, my name’s Barty Crouch and I’m the lawyer your father was talking about”

The Black heir scoffed, “You’re not Crouch. Crouch wouldn’t be caught dead talking to my family”, Bartemus Crouch, the real one, was a stiff old man who refused to defend anyone he thought was guilty. And Regulus was definitely guilty. 

Barty sighed and sat down on the opposite chair, “You heard of my old man, then. My full name is Bartemus Crouch Jr. Mr. Crouch is  _ my _ father”, he grinned, throwing Regulus’ own words back at him. 

“How come I never heard of you then?”

“My dear ol’ dad doesn’t like to mention me”, Barty shrugged, a “what can you do” look on his face, “I’m kind of a disappointment”. He opened up his bag and took out a file, placing it between the two of them. 

Regulus looked at the lawyer curiously, “My father sent you”

“Yep”

“So you know I did in fact kill that girl”

“Uh-huh”

“So why are you helping me?”

Barty stopped reading the file and looked up, “The money was good”, he said simply, “Now why don’t we stop focusing on my lack of moral compass and start focusing on how to get you out of here”

***

_ Present Day _

Barty and Regulus became quick friends after their first meeting, helping someone get out of prison is apparently the perfect way to bond. So when the crooked lawyer decided to go into hiding, Regulus was the last person he called. 

“I know too much”, he explained over the phone, panicking, “Being their lawyer gave me access to all kinds of info they don’t want getting out. They haven’t gone after me yet but they will, I just know it. I’m sorry Reggie, I really am, but this’ll be the last time you’ll be hearing from me until something changes.”

“Barty wait-”, Regulus didn’t get a chance to say anything as Barty immediately hung up as soon as he was done talking. 

That was five months ago, King had existed for thirty days by then. Regulus partly blames himself, he knew that his friend probably stumbled across that info while helping him _.  _ He didn’t want to be the reason Barty gets killed. However, Barty said he’ll be in hiding until something changes and things are changing now. Regulus needs that information badly. Knowledge is power, and Barty holds the key to taking Orion Black down. 

And luckily for Regulus, he had a pretty good feeling where the lawyer was. Barty was simultaneously unpredictable and a man of habit, quite a rare combination. The problem was that Regulus needed backup in case something went wrong. He couldn’t take Cissa, she was supposed to be in mourning. Evan was busy doing work for the Lestrange brothers and Lucinda didn’t know how to fight. So that basically meant that all the people he trusted were off the table. Great. 

And then, just then, an insane idea wormed its way into Regulus’ mind. It was so absurd, so impressingly stupid, that it would make Sirius proud if he knew about it. Regulus sighed, ‘I don’t really have a choice’, he thought. This was his best option, no matter how reckless it sounded. Cissa had long left so Regulus was once again alone in his flat. The Black heir went back to his room and took out the trunk he stuffed the dress in days ago. Well he knows where he’s going tonight. 

***

Apparently James didn’t need to go ask Frank to come over. His old friend had apparently invited the Marauders along with some other friends and family to his and Alice’s engagement party. Fortunately it was a casual party so the hitman didn’t need to go rent out the suit he just returned. By the time he arrived the party had already started, people snacking and making small talk. The other Marauders, Sirius and Remus and Peter, have already arrived. Peter seemed to be in the middle of telling Emmeline Vance a story, and by the look on Emmeline's face, James can only guess it was a funny one. Most likely from their days at high school. Sirius was also there, adding his own little comments here and there and increasing the drama. 

While Remus was talking to Alice, James made his way to her soon-to-be groom and grinned. “Frank Longbottom, it’s been too long”, he said, “We don’t talk for, what, nearly a year and next thing I know you proposed to Alice? And she said yes? How do you do it? Really, I need pointers”

“Pointers huh? Found someone, have you James?”

The hitman sighed, “No, not yet. But my heart hasn’t given up searching yet”, He hasn’t been in a real steady relationship in a while, not since Lily Evans. 

When the Marauders started, there weren’t four members, there were five. Lily Evans was in charge of disguises, but she also helped the others in their tasks. From planning to forgery to sometimes even the killing. She was amazing. But she was also unhappy. The main reason Lily got roped into the whole crime thing was because she was dating James at the time. She hated every bit of it and her love for her boyfriend would only go so far. So a little over a year after the Marauders were formed, Lily Evans packed her bags, said goodbye, and left for good.

James doesn’t blame her. Anyone with sense would back out while they still could. And it’s been years since she left, four exactly. He had plenty of time to get over it, and he has. But he can’t help but miss what they had back then. Rather, he missed being in love. That feeling of true, complete joy. When you believe that you can take on anything. That whatever the world threw at you, it didn’t matter, as long as you were together. He hasn’t felt that bliss, not truly, since Lily. 

“Well then I wish you luck”, Frank said.

“Thank you. But enough about my love life. You’re getting married! We should be hitting the pub and getting pissed!”, James exclaimed, waving his hands around dramatically.

“Don’t let my mum hear you say that. Besides, I’m saving that for the bachelor party”

“Is she still mad at you for having Neville before the wedding?”, Augusta Longbottom was a traditional woman who could be downright terrifying if she wanted to be. 

“She was”, Frank admitted, “But I think little Neville has grown on her”, he pointed across the room, where an old woman was playing with a small toddler. 

“How old he is now?”, James asked. 

“Three, almost four. They grow up so quickly”, Frank said proudly.

“They do indeed”

As James watched little Neville play, he wondered what it would be like. To have a family of his own, completed with a house in suburbs and a boring desk job. There is a certain appeal to it, he supposes. A normal life, where he doesn’t have to worry about getting stabbed in the back, both literally and figuratively. Where after a rough day he can just come home into his spouse’s arms and they would listen to him rant about demanding bosses and annoying coworkers, then kiss him and make his troubles go away. A life where he can raise his own children, see them grow up and become successful, a beacon of light in this cruel, dark world. 

It sounded nice, but the truth is he’s never gonna have it. He kills people for a living, that’s not exactly a proper environment for children. And a constant slew of enemies would constantly put that possible spouse in danger. So no, he will never have that life. James isn’t even sure if he deserves that kind of life after everything he’s done on the job. Guys like him just don’t have happy endings. 

But this wasn’t about him, this was about Frank. Frank, who has never been involved in the mob and hopefully never will. If anyone deserved a happy ending it’s him and Alice and their son Neville. They’re good people and James isn’t about to ruin the happiest moments of their life. Pushing the unwanted thoughts away, the hitman grabbed a plate of food and made his way to the big table where everyone was now sitting to eat and chat. Time to pretend to be normal. 

***

“So James, what do you do for a living?”

Sirius froze, fork halfway to his mouth. None of them knew about the Marauders, and none of them can ever know. If word got out they’d be arrested. Hell they’ll all be murdered before they reach the cells. He felt a comforting hand being placed on his knee. 

“He’s got this”, Remus whispered.

“Are you sure?”, Sirius muttered back. He loved James, but his best friend has always been a shit liar. 

“I run a freelance company with Sirius, Remus, and Peter”, James said, “None of us were satisfied with our current jobs so we started something together, taking different odd jobs and the like”, he said it casually, as if it was the truth. Which it was to a degree. 

“He’s gotten better”, Sirius realized.

“Yes he has”.

The disowned heir looked at his boyfriend, “There’s something you’re not telling me”

“That’s correct”, 

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you later”, Remus’ eyes roamed across the table and the people sitting by it, “In private. Ok?” 

“...Ok”

“Must be hard to find work then”, Augusta commented.

“Actually”, Remus cut in, “We all come from different backgrounds which means there’s a variety of skills at our disposal. You’d be surprised by how useful that actually is”. Remus came from a gang, Peter started conning to help his sick mother, Sirius was raised in the mob, and James had the perfect life until his parents’ deaths. Those were their backgrounds. Yet somehow, the four of them found each other and weren’t able to let go since. Sirius knew that one day that kind of loyalty would get them all killed. He also knew that he didn’t care. 

***

Once the engagement party had ended and most of the guests left, James put an arm around Frank’s shoulders and insisted they go out and get at least one drink. After a bit of convincing from the rest of the Marauders, Frank gave in and the five of them headed to the Golden Snitch to celebrate. 

“Back already?”, Marlene asked.

“We’re celebrating, Marls. Our boy Frank is getting married”, Sirius said.

“Been there, done that. Nothing so special about it”

“For months after you married Dorcas you used any and every excuse to call her your wife”

“Marriage isn’t special, Dorcas is”

“You two are disgusting”

“Like you don’t have heart eyes every time you look at Remus”

Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but found that he couldn’t. He grumbled out an order and Marlene smugly handed him the drinks. 

James saw his friend sulk back to the table, drinks in hand. 

“What happened this time?”, Peter asked.

“Marlene is a cruel, vile woman”, the sniper huffed dramatically. 

“We love Marlene”, Remus corrected.

“We love her when she’s not making fun of us”

“She always makes fun of us. It’s how she shows affection”

“If you two love birds are done,'' James interrupted, “I would like to make a toast. To the future Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom!”

Cheers rang out as glasses clinked and alcohol was drunk.

Frank smiled, his face a bit red from all of the attention, “Thank you guys. Really. You didn’t have to do this”

“Well yeah but we wanted to. Do you know how many times you were there for us? Like that time-”

James lost focus on whatever Peter was rambling about. Instead, his eyes made their way to the window where a familiar looking figure was walking past it. 

‘Wait, is that-’

“James? You with us?”

“Huh?”, James turned back to the table and answered Sirius’ question, “Oh yeah, just my ADHD acting up, you know how it is”. Sirius nodded but James had the feeling he didn’t believe him. 

The hitman stood up, “I’m gonna go get some fresh air. Be back in a minute.”, and then he left before anyone could respond. 

James quickly left the pub and made his way into the alleyway next to it. The bricks were dark in the pale light of the moon, and graffiti covered the walls, some with less than appropriate language. He shivered as a cool wind breezed by and hugged himself for warmth. 

‘Should’ve brought a coat’, he thought, then froze. Not because of the cold, but because he heard the faintest sound of footsteps behind him. He spun around.

“Who’s there?”, he asked, then automatically scolded himself. Anyone who says “Who’s there?” when they’re alone at night will most certainly get killed. 

He stood there for what seemed like forever, wondering if he had gone crazy and imagined her. It’s been a week since the party and he’s tried his best to forget her. And apparently when he thinks he’s gotten over it, she’s there, tearing down everything he thought he knew. James turned around to head back inside when he felt two hands on his shoulders and then before he knew it, he was being slammed into the brick wall. He grabbed the attacker’s wrist, prepared to shove them off but hesitated as soon as he saw who it was. 

“You”

Diana Delacour, King, was pinning him to the wall. But instead of her usual smug amusement, she looked desperate, and maybe even a bit scared.

“I need your help” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you’re wondering if Regulus saw Sirius through the window, he didn’t. He was just walking past it.


	6. Assumptions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James is acting weird and his friends are starting to take notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it’s another short one. But bare with me, ok? Diana and Anthony’s next adventure is coming soon.

James looked at the woman in front of her in disbelief. 

“How did you find me?”, he asked. 

Diana let go of him and backed away a few steps. “There are rumours”, she said, avoiding his eyes, “People talk, and they say that if you want to talk to the Marauders, this is the place to go”

“What kind of people”

“None of your business.”

“If it can possibly put me and my friends in danger than yes, it is my business” 

“But if I tell you, it’ll put  _ my  _ friends in danger”

“We’ll be even then, won’t we?”

“What are you talking about?”

James gave a bitter laugh, “Don’t play dumb, Diana. That night you killed Malfoy you let me take the credit because you knew that if people thought I was behind it, they’d think I killed his men too. Making the Marauders having to deal with the consequences of your actions”

“What?”, Diana looked shocked at the accusation. Either that wasn’t what she intended at all, or she was a damn good actor. James had to assume the second option. 

She mumbled a curse, “Anthony, I didn’t mean to get you into trouble. It was a foolish oversight on my part and I’m sorry it’s causing this much pain. Just know I wasn’t playing you, I was just trying to get you to agree and I thought that since you wanted to kill Malfoy so badly, letting you take the credit would sweeten the deal of bit”

James analyzed Diana’a face for any hint of lying. He couldn’t find any. He sighed, “Ok then”

“Ok?”

“Yeah. So, you said you needed my help. What for?”

“It’s better if we talk about this somewhere else, where we can’t be overheard”

James thought about it, then got an idea, “Come here tomorrow at noon. The others should be busy and I know the owners so we can get some privacy.”

Diana hesitated, “...Alright. Tomorrow.”

***

Regulus was overwhelmed with curiosity. If Prongs was here, that means the other Marauders were here as well. One peak at the window and he’ll know the faces of some of the most dangerous people in London. Are they all complete strangers, or can one of them be someone he knew? He crept towards the window but he was stopped by a hand grabbing his arm.

“Don’t”, Anthony said, “Knowing my face is bad enough, don’t drag my friends into this. They have to remain anonymous for them to be safe. So don’t look at them or- or else I’m not helping you.”

Regulus was taken aback. Never did he expect such loyalty from a hitman. And it wasn’t for the usual reasons either. Anthony wasn’t worried about the Marauders company, or the money, he was worried for his friends. Regulus felt warmth settle deep in his chest and let the man known as Prongs lead him away from the pub, making sure to look away. The curiosity was still there, but he was willing to deal with the dissatisfaction. 

“Goodnight”, Anthony said. Regulus looked back and, before he had a chance to rethink it, went over and kissed him on the cheek. Seeing Anthony blush made him grin.

“Goodnight”. 

***

“What was that?”, Sirius asked as soon as James left, “I didn’t imagine that, right?”

Peter nodded, “I saw it too”

Frank looked between the three friends confused, “Saw what?”

“That!”, Sirius dramatically gestured to the door, “He just left out of nowhere with no explanation.”

“It’s not just that”, Remus added, “He’s been acting weird all week. I think he’s hiding something from us”

“Pro- James would never!”

“Wouldn’t he? He doesn’t have to tell us everything”

“Yeah but why would he hide something? He knows us, we would never judge him for anything!”

Peter shrugged helplessly, “I think he knows that, but there’s a difference between knowing something and feeling it”

Sirius sighed and Remus put a hand on his shoulder, “It’s alright, love. James will tell us when he’s ready. Until then we need to be patient.”

“Have you met me? When am I ever patient?”

Peter gave Frank a sheepish smile, “Sorry about all this”

Frank waved him off, “It’s alright. Really. I should be heading home anyways”, the recently engaged man stood up and waved his friends goodbye, “Thanks for the drink and have a goodnight.”

The three Marauders wished Frank goodnight and returned to their conversation. Frank exited the Golden Snitch with a smile. Those four were a handful when they were together, but boy was it worth it. There was a companionship between them that you don’t see often. It’s clear any of them were quite literally willing to die for the others and that kinda concerned Frank. But only a little. After all, no matter how many situations they find themselves in, they always manage to find a way out. 

Frank was so deep in his thoughts he almost ran into someone. Stopping himself just before they crashed, he noticed the other person doing the same. 

“Sorry”, he said.

“You’re forgiven”, she said and quickly walked past him. Frank usually wouldn’t think anything of it except for the fact that James appeared out of the alleyway with a red face and intently watched the woman as she turned the corner and vanished from sight. 

“Who was that”, Frank asked. 

James looked at him, then looked away, “Diana”, was all he said. He cleared his throat, “You leaving?”

“Yeah. Promised Alice I wouldn’t stay out too late and stay strictly sober.”

“Fair enough. Well, see you at your wedding, if you even remember to invite me”

“Ok so I forgot to keep in touch for awhile, lay it off”.

The two friends shared a laugh, and as the hitman went back into the pub, Frank realized why James was acting so weird lately. 

***

The next day at noon, Marlene and Dorcas were running their pub when the door opened and a familiar face walked in. 

“James? What are you doing here?”, Marlene asked. The Marauders weren’t planning a hit, at least none that she knew of, and James wasn’t a day drinker. 

“I- uh- I’m waiting for someone”, James replied, “You mind telling me if she comes? She’s got dark hair, pale skin, pretty tall for a woman-”

“Do you mean her?”, Dorcas interrupted. She pointed to a two person table in the corner, “She came in ten minutes ago. Hasn’t ordered anything yet, said she was waiting for someone”

James turned to look. Sure enough, Diana was sitting there, wearing a black skirt, a red blouse, and heels. Her dark hair was pulled into a braid that was resting on her shoulder. She was facing away from James, but he could still tell it was her. He suddenly felt a bit underdressed in his hoodie and jeans, then scolded himself. He was here to potentially offer his assistance, not for a date. He said a quick thanks to the married couple and headed over to the table. He sat down across from her.

“You’re late”, was the first thing she said.

“Hello to you too”, he joked, “And I’m not late, you were early”

Diana shrugged, “Say it how you like”

James chuckled, “Ok, but seriously, why do you need my help?”

***

Marlene liked to think she was an observant person. So when she saw James sitting, chatting, laughing with this other person she never met before, she got an idea of what was going on. She nudged her wife, “Dorcas”

Dorcas, who was cleaning some used glasses, looked up from her work, “Yes Marls?”

“Look over there”, she gestured discreetly to the corner table, “What do you see”

“I see James and a girl I don’t recognize”

“You want to know what  _ I _ see?”

“What?”

“Guess”

Dorcas looked at the pair. Her eyes narrowed, then widened, “Holy shit”

Marlene laughed, “After four years, James “Lonewolf” Potter, is on a  _ date”. _

  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Totally Not a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see how Anthony’s and Diana’s not-date goes and James comes to a realization.

Barty was a gambler. It was an obvious fact of the world. The sky was blue, the ocean was deep, and Barty was a gambler. In fact Regulus could remember many nights when the two of them would go out to Barty’s favorite gambling den, Felicis Casino. There they would spend the night wasting someone else’s money and flirting with the female staff. Well, it was only Barty who did the second part. Regulus has been aware for years that he preferred the company of men. Of course his parents don’t know that, and they never will if he has anything to say about it. 

If there was any place Barty would go to hide from the world, it would be Felicis Casino. Regulus was sure of it. But he couldn’t tell Anthony any of this, the less they knew about each other the better. So when they finally ordered and received their drinks, Regulus told him what he could.

“I need information about a mark of mine.”, he explained, “And I know where to get it and who to get it from. But I need backup in case something doesn’t go according to plan.”

“You need a bodyguard.”, Anthony realized, “Why? You’re a more than capable hitman yourself.”

“Thank you. But what I’m good at is killing people quickly so they can’t respond, and quietly so I don’t get caught. I can’t really fight in full on combat.”

Anthony chuckled, “Padfoot is the same exact way. The bloke can make a headshot like a hundred feet away but once punches start getting thrown he backs out as quickly as possible. Something about ruining his perfectly handsome face.”

A laugh escaped Regulus’ lips before he had a chance to stop it. He’s not even sure if he wants to stop it.

“My point is, if your reputation isn’t all trivial gossip, then you can fight. Pretty well too.”

“‘Pretty well?!’”, Anthony dramatically placed a hand to his heart, “I’ll have you know I have taken on a dozen men on my own and got out without a scratch!”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“How dare you!”

Regulus was laughing again. When was the last time he laughed so freely like this? 

Sobering up, he looked the Marauder in the eyes, “Will you help me?”, seeing Anthony’s hesitance, he added, “I’ll pay you for this like it’s any other job you would usually take. And I have the resources to make sure you and your friends’ names will never even be mentioned when people talk about the murders of Malfoy and his men. Help me and I will make it so.”

Anthony deeply considered this, “Why me?”

“You’re the only one available that I trust enough to not stab me in the back while we’re there.”, Regulus truthfully answered. 

“Because of one deal we made a week ago? You don’t even know if I followed through with it.”

“But you did, didn’t you?”

“...Yeah.”

“And so did I.”

“How do I know you’ll keep this one though.”

“If I can trust you to stand by me, you can trust me to stand by you.”

Anthony sighed, “Ok, I’m in. Where is this informant of yours?”

Regulus grinned, “How good are you at cards?”

***

James quickly made a note of what Diana told him. He scribbled “ _ Find BC jr. F casino. Ask D for details later” _ on a napkin and stored it in his pocket. 

“Well I should get going. We’ll talk again soon to finalize a plan”, Diana went to stand up but James grabbed her wrist, “Stay. At least for a bit longer. Let me get to know who I’m working with.”

She hesitated, “The less we know about each other the better, Anthony.”

Right. He almost forgot she called him that. 

A brilliant idea popped into his head, “I call bullshit on that. Let’s play twenty questions, but with three rules. No mentions of the mafia, no questions about King or the Marauders, and avoid anything that’ll possibly reveal our true identities to each other. That good?”, he let go of her, leaving the door open for her to leave if she decides to.

“I suppose it is.”

“I’ll go first then. What’s your favorite color?”

Diana was a bit confused, “I- I never really thought about it before.”

“And now you have. So what is it”, James leaned forward on his hands curiously, as if she was about to reveal the secrets of the universe.

“Silver is a nice color”

“That’s not something you hear every day. I like it. Your turn, ask me something.”

Diana thought about it, “Cats or dogs?”

“Definitely dogs”, James immediately answered. Sirius would take it as a personal betrayal if he said cats.

“Shame. I rather like cats myself.”

“Well everyone is allowed to have their own opinions, even if said opinions are wrong.”

She sputtered and laughed and playfully shoved him, “You’re the one in the wrong here.”

“Oh really?”

They spent the next hour like that. Asking stupid questions, having petty debates when they disagreed. An hour of bliss nonsense. When it was over, James could easily tell Diana didn’t want to leave, but she had to. They both had their lives to go back to. He obviously couldn’t walk her home but he did offer to take her the first few blocks, which she agreed to. 

“That was nice”, she said as they walked, arms linked, “I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much in one sitting.”

“You should do it more.”, James told her, “Your laugh is beautiful.”

She smiled at the compliment, “Thank you, Anthony.”, 

She stopped and looked around the street they were on, “You’ve gone far enough. I can walk the rest of the way myself.”

“Alright”, James unlinked their arms but she didn’t leave. 

Instead, Diana turned and faced him. Close enough that if James leaned down enough he’d be able to pull her into a kiss. Actually he had to hold himself back from doing so. Even though they kissed before he didn’t want to do it again without her permission. 

She looked at him with those dark gemstone eyes of hers and it was like time had stopped. After what felt like forever she looked away and whatever spell was on James broke. 

“Meet me here in two days, same time.”, Diana, “We’ll figure out the details and finalize a plan. Until then, it’s crucial that we don’t contact each other.”

“Agreed”, said James as disappointment settled in his chest, “Until then, King.”

Her lips quirked, “Until then, Prongs.”

***

When James returned to his apartment, he was given a surprise in the form of his friends already there, waiting for them. Sirius, Remus, and Peter all sat on the couch in his living room, Sirius was sulking, Peter twiddled his thumbs, and Remus looked completely done with everything, a usual mood for him. 

“Uh...hi? Can I help you?”, James asked, announcing his presence. 

Immediately, Sirius jumped up and got in his face, “You have a lot of explaining to do, mister.”

James cringed and pushed his friend away, “Your breath stinks, mate. What have you been eating?”

“Remus”, Peter said almost immediately. Three pairs of eyes looked at him, “What?”

“I mean he’s not wrong-”

“Thank you for giving me that mental image, Pete”, James said, interrupting Sirius and making sure he didn’t finish that sentence, “Now is there a reason for you guys showing up here besides making sure I now have to wash my brain out with bleach?”

Remus sighed and shared a glance with Peter, “We know, James.”

“Know? Know what?”

“Don’t”, Peter said, “play the ignorant card. You know exactly what we’re talking about.”

“Pete, I’m being serious here, I have no idea what you guys are talking about.”, James started to worry.

Sirius let out a cry of frustration, “It’s Diana, James! We know about Diana!”

‘Oh fuck me’, James thought, ‘Already? I thought we’d have more time’. He knew his friends would figure it out eventually but not this soon. His brain started to work overtime, trying to find a way to salvage this.

“Pads, I can explain-”

“Oh don’t you dare try to excuse your way out of it. How could you betray our trust like that?”

“I know and I’m sorry”, James wanted them to understand. He has to do this, he owes her for saving him at that party, and she promised to keep the families off their backs. And while her word doesn’t mean a lot to Sirius or Remus or Peter, it meant a lot to him. He knows she’ll keep her word, he just does. 

But before he can say any of that outloud, Sirius continues. 

“I just don’t understand. How could you tell Marlene and Dorcas you had a date before  _ us. _ ”

Wait, what?

James was taken aback. That was what they thought happened? It was such an absurd situation he found himself in, he almost laughed.

“Aren’t you being a tad bit dramatic?”, he asked.

“Of course not! This is a serious matter.”, Sirius replied, making sure to be overly dramatic while he said it. Then James really did laugh. 

“But I didn’t tell Marls or Dorky anything.”

“Yeah but you went to the Golden Snitch for your date. You weren’t exactly hiding it from them.”

“I’m not hiding it from you guys either!”, Ok, yeah, that was a complete lie, “It- It’s just still very new and I didn’t want to bring it up just yet.”

“We get it. Really” , Peter smiled, “You’re finally dating someone after four years of being single. It takes a while to adjust.”

“You’ve been single all your life Pete”, James pointed out, not unkindly. Peter’s never been in a relationship nor has he ever expressed an interest to, “How would you know what it’s like?”

The former con artist shrugged, “I just know things.”

“Dramatics aside”, Remus said, “We’re happy for you, Prongs. Really, we are. But know that you don’t have to hide anything from us. We’ll always be here for you.”

“You sure? I’ve been the reason behind a lot of shit we’ve been through.”

“So have I.”, Sirius added, putting his arm around his best friend, “So has Wormtail. Hell, even Remus gets us into shit every now and then. We all screw up, Prongsie, that’s what makes life interesting.”

He put his other arm around Remus and James put his free arm around Peter. As the four friends stood there, James thought about what they said. They would be mad at him for working with Diana, but they would forgive him. They’ll even help him if they can. He wonders how shocked they’ll be when they find out that him and Diana aren’t actually dating. He doesn’t even like-

She invaded his mind. He thought about her dark hair and eyes, her beautiful laugh, her smile, both rare and wonderful. The amused glint in her eyes every time she sees him, the calculating look on her face as she plans for the most complicated chess game in her life. How she likes cats and the color silver, and a bunch of other useless facts about her. James tried to not show his panic as he came to the realization. He has a crush on Diana Delacour. 

He is  _ so  _ screwed. 


	8. A Hit and a Miss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What James and Regulus get up to on the day they are apart.

It was during a cool, crisp night that gang leader Kaizen Lasair was shot. Not many stars could be seen due to the everlasting pollution, so the city lights took it upon themselves to be the stars instead. Dozens of street lights and lit up apartment windows brightened up the city in their artificial glow. The moon assisted too since it was almost full that night, giving Sirius the perfect amount of light he needed so that he could see his target but dim enough so no one could see him. 

This particular job was only assigned to the sniper earlier that day as it was a much simpler one that didn’t need much planning. Gangs were different then the mob. The former were small groups of men and occasionally women who acted tough and claimed that they owned parts of the city, fighting in turf wars and the like when two of these gangs disagreed with each other. But Sirius knew who truly controlled London, who really held the power. After all, he was supposed to inherit it. 

The mob, otherwise known as the mafia, were families who helped build the very city they all ruin. They’re disguised as renown members of society, upper class and wealthy, investors and lords. But behind all of that was the cruel truth, and the truth was that behind the fundraisers and the seasonal parties were rings for trafficking drugs and people. The investments these families make are more often than not a way to slowly take over the owner’s business until it too becomes a part of their corrupt kingdoms. 

But right now Sirius wasn’t thinking about corrupt leaders or his awful family. In fact his job required little to no thinking at all. It was all instinct, feeling. Find the target, aim, and shoot. Don’t think about who it is, don’t think about who they’re leaving behind. Don’t think. This particular target was Kaizen Lasair, the leader of one of the bigger gangs called the Dragons. The Dragons were one of the rare exceptions when gangs were actually dangerous, and therefore had a target on their back, especially Lasair. 

When Remus first received the offered contract to take out the gang leader, he did his usual routine of a background check to make sure the Marauders aren’t tricked into murdering civilians. Sure enough, Lasair has been leading the Dragons ever since he murdered the previous leader and took her place. Knowing now that he was the furthest thing from innocent, Sirius was assigned to use his talents to permanently remove Lasair from London's streets. 

Finding him wasn’t too difficult. Using Remus’ and Peter’s knowledge of all gang hotspot’s, Sirius found the Dragons’ leader and the perfect spot to kill him by nightfall. He and a few of his members were smoking together in an alleyway between two shops. Lasiar had three defining features that made it easy to spot him out. His white hair, his yellow eyes, and the tattoo. All of them had it, a tattoo of a dragon that curled around their neck from the bottom up. It seemed like it’s really hard to hide but Sirius had gotten his first tattoo before he was eighteen so he really wasn’t one to judge on tattoo choices. 

Across the street from the alleyway and the smokers, Sirius was positioned on the rooftop of some apartment complex, his sniper rifle in hand. Peering through his scope he locked onto his target and remembered the instructions his Uncle Alphard had taught him. Instructions he has used dozens and dozens of times.  _ Breathe in, breathe out, fire.  _

Sirius was out of sight before Lasiar had even hit the ground. The bullet lodged itself straight into the gang leader’s forehead, killing him instantly. His half finished cigarette fell to the floor, still lit. Only a small amount of blood came from the wound, all of it staining the graffitied wall behind. Once Lasiar’s body hit the floor, his gang reacted. One screamed, one stood frozen in fear thinking they’re next, the others looked among themselves, wondering what to do since they couldn’t call the police. 

Sirius didn’t hear any of this, he was disassembling his rifle and putting the pieces into a guitar case he brought with him. The sniper zipped it up and put it on, then went into the building, casually walking through the stairs and hallways as if he didn’t just take someone’s life. He waved at someone, winked at someone else, and then he was outside. Humming a tune, Sirius walked down to the end of the street before entering a gray car, putting the guitar case down and closing the door behind him. 

“Mischief managed”, he said. 

The driver- who was James- turned to look at him, “You sure, Pads?”

Padfoot grinned, “I’m sure.”, he leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head, “I never miss.”

James shook his head, but he was smiling, and the two friends drove off, another job well done. 

***

“To Lucius Malfoy. A man of worthy status, and a valuable asset to us all.”

Regulus silently raised his glass with the other members of the Slug Club as his father finished his toast. The wine was sweet but his thoughts were bitter. Worthy status and valuable asset, that’s all they cared about. But Lucius was quite the asshole in life, so Regulus found himself not feeling much pity for the dead.

The Slug Club was made of Orion Black’s best and wealthiest clients and allies, some knew of the dark secrets his family held, some did not, and some even helped with those dark deeds. But right now only those who knew were present, which meant Evan was here even though his parents were not. Evan was one of his closest friends and the only reason he’s gonna be able to get through the night sober. 

“Did you find Crouch Jr. yet?”, the Rosier heir whispered to him. 

“No”, Regulus quietly responded, “But I have an idea where he’ll be.”

“Can you tell me?”

“Of course not.”, he trusted Evan but the less people who know the better. Evan nodded in understanding and returned to normal volume.

“So Reggie, any progress on the old man?”

Regulus sighed, “Yes and no. My father has agreed to include me with more of the family’s illegal practices, but there’s a condition.”

“And that is?”

“I have to get married.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I wish I was.”

To the Blacks, everything was about keeping the family legacy and name alive. That meant sons, and sons who will have sons. Their first born failed and ran off to be with another man, so Regulus was all they had left. It made Orion desperate enough to withhold information, even though his son was supposed to learn how to run the Black’s underground empire a while ago. And Regulus, who would prefer to never sleep with a woman as he is, as Sirius would say, gay as fuck, is trying to wait until his father cracks. It’s a twisted game to see who will give in first and whether Orion will have a bachelor heir, or if Regulus will end up with a wife he never wanted. 

“That sucks.”, said Evan.

“Who sucks?”, a new voice asked behind Regulus.

In the brief second of not recognizing the voice, he panicked, but then his mind caught up with reality. A smile reached his lips.

“Lucinda. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

“You know me, Reg, always full of surprises.”, Lucinda grabbed a chair and sat down between the two men. She nodded her head at Evan, “Rosier.”

Evan gave a nod of his own, “Talkalot.”

Lucinda Talkalot, much like her name, talked a lot. She started as a gossiper in a small clothing store that was one bad day away from bankruptcy. Then Regulus visited her shop one day and asked her a series of strange questions, all of which she oddly knew the answers of. And then he came again, and again, until one day he came not with questions, but an offer. Work for the Blacks, tell them everything you know of what they ask, and in return enough money to save her business and a new shop on the best streets of London. She’s been here ever since. 

“Ok but really though, who sucks?”, Lucinda says. 

“My father.”, Regulus supplies.

“Tell me something I don’t know. That man is as sucky as they come. Lucius was a close second but now that he’s out of the running there’s no more competition.”

Evan chuckled and raised his glass, “To Orion Black, the biggest bastard of the year”. As the three friends made their mock toast, Regulus found himself already a bit better than he was when the gathering started. 

Lucinda gave a big swing of her drink, “Anyway, where’s Cissy? How’s she fairing through all of this?”

Regulus glanced over at his cousin, who was currently talking to her parents, along with some of the remaining members of the Malfoy’s ring.

“About as well as can be expected. With Lucius gone she’s supposed to be taking over the Malfoy business, since there’s no siblings to inherit it and they didn’t have a son.”

Evan raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean “supposed to”?”

The Black heir sighed, “Before she was a Malfoy, she was a Black. A select few of the Slug Club thinks that is very important.”

Lucinda finished her glass, “They think the Black’s were behind Lucius’ murder.”

“Exactly.”, He showed a grimace but internally, he was quite pleased with the result. This was perfect. It makes sense for the others to suspect his family of the murder. With Narcissa- a born Black- as the head of one of the most powerful families in the city, Orion and Walburga’s influence on London will only grow. That both takes the target off the Marauders’ backs, and makes the rest of the Slug Club start to distrust his family, which will help Regulus’ mission in the long run. Normally he doesn’t try to count on good luck, but this time he’ll make an exception. And when the luck runs out, he’ll be ready, and he won’t be alone. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaizen Lasair was the oc that won my 100 followers on Wattpad contest. Lucinda Talkalot is an actual character from Harry Potter lore, but she’s only briefly mentioned. In the canon world she was the Slytherin quidditch captain when the Marauders went to school.


	9. Late Night Shopping Spree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not my best and I did rush a bit because I wanted to make sure I got a chapter out soon. I’ve been spending a lot of my time watching Critical Role as it is my new obsession. I’ve only watched campaign two and I’m currently up to episode 43. Anyway I hope you enjoy my mess anyway.

“I’m going out tonight.”, James said as he looked over himself in the mirror. He hoped that the outfit he picked out was good enough. What does one even wear to a casino?

From his phone, Sirius’ voice replied, “Tonight? I don’t remember making any plans.”

“Not with you, idiot. With...Diana”, He’s recently taken a habit of hesitating before saying her name out loud. His friends might think he was nervous about starting a new relationship, but it was really a reminder of much he wasn’t telling them. How much he was lying. 

“Right your new girlfriend.”, Sirius said, “You know I just realized we barely know anything about her.”

‘For good reason’, James thought, “What do you wanna know?”.

“This is your first date after Lily, Prongs. I want to know everything.”

“Well I can’t tell you everything. We’re still figuring things out.”, James grabbed his jacket and put it on, then ran a hand through his already messy hair.

“She’s...well she’s very determined and strong willed. But she’s also vulnerable and is willing to admit when she needs help.”, he couldn’t help but start to grin like an idiot. Good thing Sirius wasn’t actually here, “She’s also smart and charming and clever. Beautiful too, just amazing in every-”

“Ok that’s enough I’m gonna stop you right there.”, Sirius interrupted, “I meant like what her last name is or what her favorite color was. I wasn’t asking for you to gush your feelings out.”

James chuckled, “You should’ve specified then.”, he grabbed his phone from where it was sitting on the dresser, “Gotta go. Don’t want to be late.”

“Good luck. Use protection!”, his best friend called out before hanging up. Jame sighed in both amusement and annoyance, put his phone in his pocket, then headed out to the same spot where him and Diana talked just a few days ago. 

***

Upon seeing him, Diana raised an eyebrow, “What are you wearing?”

Confused, James glanced down at the outfit he chose, simple and comfortable, “Um. Clothes?”

Diana sighed and grabbed his arm, “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“My apartment. We’re fixing this mess now.”

“Wait.”, James stopped walking, forcing her to stop as well, “What happened to ‘the less we know the better’?”

She paused, then smacked her hand against her forehead, “I’m such an idiot. Right, no apartment.”, she looked around the block, “But I do know where we can go instead. Follow me”. She turned and started to walk across the street. James paused, but then followed, jogging a bit to catch up. 

By now he noticed what Diana was wearing. A long black dress that went down to her ankles with see through sleeves that were accompanied with floral designs. Her hair was down, but lighter and her eyes were a soft brown instead of her usual black. Her cheeks looked to have a bit more color in them and then James realized that she changed her appearance and he probably should’ve done the same. Thankful that she caught his mistake before it was too late, he followed her into a clothing store with a sign that said “Talkalot’s”. On the window written in bright letters was the word “closed”.

“In here.”, Diana said.

“It’s closed”, James argued, pointing out the already obvious sign.

“I know the owner, we’ll be fine.”, she opened the door and led him straight to a changing room, “Wait here.”, was all she said before disappearing behind the curtain. 

As James waited, he tapped his foot against the floor. ‘I should leave’, he thought, ‘I should get out while I still can, call the deal off, and deal with the consequences’. He found that he couldn’t, rather, he didn’t want to. He generally wanted to help her. It was odd, it’s been such a long time since he’s cared about anyone besides the Marauders. Ever since his parents died it has been the five of them against the world, then it was the four of them. He should be terrified, and he is a little bit, but he’s also quite excited where his heart will take him next. 

Soon enough, a hand peaked through the curtain holding a hanger that was being occupied by a purple suit with a black design on the jacket.

“Put this on.”, her voice called.

James took it without argument and silently changed. 

“You sure we won’t get arrested for breaking and entering and/or stealing?”, he asked as he examined himself in the mirror. Not bad.

“I already called Lucinda, she said it was alright. And I’m paying her for the suit anyway.”, Diana replied, “Are you done yet?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m coming in.”

The assassin entered the changing room and froze. James noticed her eyes trailing up and down his body and he’ll be lying if he didn’t say that made him a bit pleased. 

“Like what you see?”

Diana’s red face met his wide grin, “Sit down.”

James shrugged and sat down on the tiled floor.

“I meant on the bench but ok that’ll do.”

She sat down right in front of him and took out a makeup palette.

“Stay still.”, she ordered and got to work. For the first few minutes the two of them sat there in awkward silence as Diana altered his appearance. 

“So…”, James said, “What do you do for fun?”

“This again?”, she gave him a judgemental look.

He shrugged again, “Why not?”

She rolled his eyes, “Reading mostly. Haven’t had much free time lately but when I do it’s usually spent with books.”

“Not friends? Do you even have friends?”

“Yes I do. Lucinda, the owner of this store, is one. Along with my cousin, and a few others.”

“Really? I just got the other Marauders.”

She looked surprised at this, “Is that so? You seem like the kind of guy who would have tons of friends.”

“I mean I was in high school, and I still do keep in touch with some of them every now a then”, James replied, thinking of Frank and Alice, “But in this line of work, the more people who know you the more dangerous it is for both them and you.”

“That couldn’t be more true.”, she paused, makeup brush in mid stroke, “How did this become your line of work in the first place? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I don’t. My, uh, my parents died and, well, without their financial support I had to drop out of school.”, James still remembers that day in vivid detail. One year into university, showing great promise, until he got that dreaded phone call. He remembers the funeral, the pity, the bruise on Sirius’ face after a drunk night four days into his grieving.

“I got involved with some shady people and was approached with a name and some cash. One job turned into two and then before I knew it, I’m a hitman for hire and so are my friends.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”, Diana said.

“Don’t be.”, James gave her a small smile, “It’s not your fault. Besides, it was years ago. What about you? What dragged you into the hellshow?”

She looked down, “I was born into the hellshow actually. My family has been involved with organized crime since forever. They’re all horrible, horrible people and I just know I have to stop them. But I can’t do that as myself so-”

“So you became someone else.”

She nodded, “Yeah. Exactly.”

“That’s very brave of you.”, James’ heart fluttered when her smile became bigger and more genuine, “Are all of them bad? Every single one?”

“The problem is that most of the decent people left, were disowned, or both. That happened to one of my cousins and…”, she looked down, “My brother.”

Now James was intrigued, “You have a brother?”

“Technically I’m supposed to pretend he’s dead, but I don't.”, Diana said, “He was much smarter, figured out that our family was literally the worst and left before any of their bullshit permanently damaged him. I wasn’t so lucky.”

“He left you?”, James never met this man before, but he already wanted to punch him. 

Seeing his expression, she put a hand on his shoulder to relax him, “I don’t blame him, not anymore at least. He offered to take me with him, but this was when I blindly followed our father, so I refused. He left to save himself, and I fully understand why he did it.”

“Do you still miss him”, the anger has subsided, replaced with sympathy. 

“Of course I do. But life moves on and it’s like you said. It was years ago.”

The silence that followed was worse than the last. James wanted to apologize, or bring up a new topic, or just say something to make her laugh and lighten the mood. He liked her laugh.

“There.”, Diana said, closing the makeup palette, “Come look.”

She stood up and dragged him to his feet, then made him face the mirror.

A “Woah” escaped James’ lips. She had done wonders. The makeup created the appearance of a stronger jawline, a more noticeable Adam's apple, and a narrower nose. She also tamed his wild hair, not slicking it back like he did the first time they met, rather making it look like the mess was intended, a controlled chaos. 

“You look amazing.”, she said. 

“All thanks to you.”, he replied, turning to face her. Diana took her hand in his.

“Well darling, it’s time we get going.”, an almost feral smile spread across her lips. The kind of smile he loved so much, “The cards await.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New stop: Felicis Casino!


	10. The Ending You Deserve

Hey. This isn’t a chapter, but I hope you stick around to read this. The last time I updated this story was in August 2020, and since then I’ve lost interest in Jegulus and the Harry Potter fandom as a whole. So yes, this story is officially discontinued. However, I didn’t realize how many people would read and enjoy this fanfiction on both Wattpad and AO3. It seemed unfair to just stop and leave the readers unsatisfied not knowing if the story was ever going to continue. And I know that feeling, I’ve been through it myself. So, in order to somewhat make it up to all of you, the following were the planned plot points of this story following chapter 9. I hope you enjoy it. 

-at the casino, while James was gambling to blend in, Regulus finds Barty and confronts him. After some convincing, Barty gives in and tells Regulus about the location of a human trafficking ring. Regulus thanks his friend and leaves.

-James convinces Regulus to let him help. The two of them sabotage the ring and free the captured civilians, but while they were running away Regulus drops his family ring. Later, Orion finds out about the sabotage, arrives at the sight of it, and finds the ring. He had suspicions that his son was planning against him, and this only confirms it. Orion tracks down Barty and tries to bribe him to his side once more. Barty, for the first time in his life, chooses the people over the money and refuses. Orion tries to kill him and he gets away, but is heavily injured. 

-Orion needed his son dead, but he couldn’t kill him himself. He decides to anonymously hire a group of well known hitmen called the Marauders to kill Regulus. Somehow James, aka Prongs, finds this first and decides to do it himself to save Sirius the grief. While trying to kill Regulus, Regulus realizes it’s “Anthony” and reveals that he’s Diana. After a deserved freakout by both of them, they calm down and reintroduce themselves using their real names. 

-At some point around sabotaging the human trafficking Anthony and Diana admitted their growing feelings for each other but agreed that they couldn’t do anything about it. Now with identities revealed Regulus is a bit nervous that James won’t like him anymore cause he’s not actually a woman. James convinces Regulus it’s fine by kissing him and telling him he fell in love with the person, not the dress. 

-knowing they’ve been backed into a corner, James and Regulus realize that the stealthy slow process Regulus has been doing won’t work anymore. They need a direct confrontation with the Blacks, and they need help. They reveal the truth to the Marauders. Peter is confused, Remus is amused and concerned, and Sirius doesn’t know what to think. Later, Sirius and Regulus actually talk out their feelings. They’re both still mad at each other but are willing to try again and be real brothers for once. Ends with a hug and tease from Sirius about Regulus’s relationship with James. 

-they recruit more allies in the forms of Regulus’s friends. Evan and Naricissa promise to help however they can. Not wanting to risk Marlene and Dorcas, they don’t go to the Golden Snitch. Instead they go to Lucinda’s shop since it’s under Black protection and Orion wouldn’t think to look in places his family owns. At the shop they find a very tired Lucinda nursing a very injured Barty. The two groups swap stories and start planning. 

-James suggests to just sneak into Grimmauld Place and shoot Orion in the head. None of them can think of a better plan so they go with it. Regulus is also tired of having to hide and is very ready to shoot his father. The Marauders and Regulus and Evan go, Lucinda staying behind to continue helping Barty recover and Narcissa staying behind because she doesn’t know how to fight and hates the sight of blood anyways. Barty tries to convince them to let him come but Regulus tells him that he already risked his life once for him and since he’s injured he’ll certainly die. Barty gives in and promises to stay but tells his friends they better come back or he’ll kill them again. 

-final confrontation. The group sneaks in and it’s going well until they’re caught. An entire fight breaks out, causing Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Evan staying behind and covering for Regulus and James. The four of them get their own badass moments, even Peter, who is tougher than he looks. Also at some point Remus kills Walburga for how badly she treated Sirius and Sirius nearly proposes to Remus on the spot. Regulus and James keep going and find Orion and it’s a showdown. Orion tries some kind of manipulative bullshit to get Regulus to spare him but James grabs Regulus’s hand and tells him for the first time he loves him. Regulus headshots his father and says to James “mischief managed” before breaking down. James hugs his boyfriend(?) and the two of them have a sweet moment together. 

-epilogue. Sirius and Remus’s wedding. Just an entire chapter of fluff that I wish I could provide. I’ll leave the future of everyone up to interpretation but I will tell you our boys have a happy ending. 

I hope this somewhat satisfies your need for a proper ending. I’m sorry I couldn’t write it all out but I just don’t have the motivation to complete this. On other news I am giving full permission to any of you to take this concept and do what I could not. All I ask is that you give me credit as the creator of this AU because I did make it but also because I want to see what you’ll do with it. You can use these notes or you can take it to a completely different direction. I look forward to seeing what you’ll do with it.

This doesn’t mean I’m done with writing. Far from it. They’ll be more stories, just for different fandoms. My current fixations are Critical Role and the Dream SMP, but who knows when that’ll change. 

Until next time, 

Ada


End file.
